Thus far in the novel, we have been introduced to a number of interesting characters. The protagonist, frequently referred to as "Mr. Wind-Up Bird" is a thirty-five year old unemployed man living with his wife in a small suburban town in Japan. The two are quite anxious over the disappearance of their dog, who has been gone for nearly a month. The dog, we learn, is named Tobu Watanaya, after Wind-Up Bird's wife's brother, who is a famous, albeit mean-spirited person. We have also been introduced to the psychological detective Creta Cano, who was hired by the wife to find the missing dog. This book is certainly bizarre, and it's hard to really connect with any of the characters thus far, but Mr. Wind-Up Bird, who serves as the book's narrator, has a logical mind that most readers can relate to.
Week 1 Meeting Summary
The meeting today was very productive, even though we've only read a fifth of the novel. Steve brought in delicious Munchkins from Dunkin' Donuts, and we ate them ravenously. When it came time to get down to business, we all discussed the different character's we've met thus far (see above). We all agreed that this book was so far nothing like we'd expected! After we discussed the characters, Gina took out her five open-ended questions and posed them to the group. We have listed these questions and their responses below.
The main aspect of this book that we discussed was the symbolism of the missing dog. We understand that the couple owned the dog, but we have no idea for how long, or what the situation was for them to obtain the dog. It appears that the narrator's wife misses the dog much more than the narrator. This is evident by his apparent indifference towards the dog's disappearance. We all agreed that we need to learn a lot more about the characters to make a fair assessment. Also, Mike brought up a good point when he asked why the main character is referred to as a "Wind-Up Bird". None of us has ever heard of a wind-up bird, so we thought it an odd thing to call a human being. Hopefully, this will make more sense as the book continues.
Open-Ended Questions
1. Why do you think the main character is called a "Wind-Up Bird"?
2. Why do you think the couple feel so differently about the disappearance of the dog?
3. Do you trust Creta Cano? Why or why not?
4. What do you make of May Kasahara (the girl living down the street)? Do you think she knows of the whereabouts of the dog?
5. What do you make of the narrator's relationship with his wife? Do you think he loves her? Do you think she loves him?
Selected Quotations
"But even so, every now and then I would feel a violent stab of loneliness. The very water I drank, the very air I breathed, would feel like long, sharp needles. The pages of a book in my hands would take on the threatening metallic gleam of razor blades. I could hear the roots of loneliness creeping through me when the world was hushed at four o'clock in the morning." (page 23)
“Maybe he really did have a ‘magic touch’, but he also had a talent for finding capable people to work for him. He paid them high salaries and treated them well, and they in turn worked hard for him. ‘When I know I’ve got the right guy, I put a wad of bills in his hand and let him do his thing, he once told me. ‘You’ve go to spend your money for the things that money can buy, not worry about profit or loss. Save your energy for the things that money can’t buy." (page 43)
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
by Haruki MurakamiWeek 1 - Topic: Characters
Thus far in the novel, we have been introduced to a number of interesting characters. The protagonist, frequently referred to as "Mr. Wind-Up Bird" is a thirty-five year old unemployed man living with his wife in a small suburban town in Japan. The two are quite anxious over the disappearance of their dog, who has been gone for nearly a month. The dog, we learn, is named Tobu Watanaya, after Wind-Up Bird's wife's brother, who is a famous, albeit mean-spirited person. We have also been introduced to the psychological detective Creta Cano, who was hired by the wife to find the missing dog. This book is certainly bizarre, and it's hard to really connect with any of the characters thus far, but Mr. Wind-Up Bird, who serves as the book's narrator, has a logical mind that most readers can relate to.
Week 1 Meeting Summary
The meeting today was very productive, even though we've only read a fifth of the novel. Steve brought in delicious Munchkins from Dunkin' Donuts, and we ate them ravenously. When it came time to get down to business, we all discussed the different character's we've met thus far (see above). We all agreed that this book was so far nothing like we'd expected! After we discussed the characters, Gina took out her five open-ended questions and posed them to the group. We have listed these questions and their responses below.
The main aspect of this book that we discussed was the symbolism of the missing dog. We understand that the couple owned the dog, but we have no idea for how long, or what the situation was for them to obtain the dog. It appears that the narrator's wife misses the dog much more than the narrator. This is evident by his apparent indifference towards the dog's disappearance. We all agreed that we need to learn a lot more about the characters to make a fair assessment. Also, Mike brought up a good point when he asked why the main character is referred to as a "Wind-Up Bird". None of us has ever heard of a wind-up bird, so we thought it an odd thing to call a human being. Hopefully, this will make more sense as the book continues.
Open-Ended Questions
1. Why do you think the main character is called a "Wind-Up Bird"?
2. Why do you think the couple feel so differently about the disappearance of the dog?
3. Do you trust Creta Cano? Why or why not?
4. What do you make of May Kasahara (the girl living down the street)? Do you think she knows of the whereabouts of the dog?
5. What do you make of the narrator's relationship with his wife? Do you think he loves her? Do you think she loves him?
Selected Quotations